Tracking Ariana follows a legally documented Afghan immigrant mother torn from her family by ICE, and the desperate race by her husband and unlikely allies to uncover the truth behind her disappearance. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

 A common question for many authors is “How do you come up with Ideas to write about?” For this book, it was the topic of news reports that had raised my awareness and ire. Witnessing unfairness triggers emotions in most of us, at least it does me. Those emotions were my motivation for Tracking Ariana.

How did you balance portraying political systems with keeping the emotional core grounded in family and character?

Something I’ve had to learn as an author is to convey emotion to my readers. Writing is not just telling a story, it’s giving the readers a reason to become invested in the story. I’m getting better at it, I hope. In the case of Tracking Ariana, the political aspects were just the vehicle to take them there.

Ariana’s internal fear and self-blame feel especially intimate. What guided your approach to writing her interior life?

I think all parents share a love for their children, and it is this love that makes us question our actions when caring for them—to do better. In Ariana’s case, she realized, too late, that by wearing a hijab in the United States, she had endangered her family. Reflecting on that, she uses prayer to regain her footing.

What do you most hope readers carry with them after finishing Tracking Ariana?​

I’d hope they find empathy for those having their human rights taken away from them. As Mia said in the book, “You know, we’re all orbiting the sun together on this tiny blue ball. We should be trying to get along, not hating one another.”

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